■Company Overview

1. Company history

Trade Works (3997) was established in 1999 by Mr. Asami Katsuhiro (Asami Katsuhiro), the current chairman and representative director, for the purpose of developing systems for securities companies. Mr. Asami was originally involved in consulting work for financial network systems as an engineer for foreign-affiliated IT companies, but since the domestic securities exchange system in the early 1990s lagged far behind the United States, he predicted that advanced securities exchange systems would spread domestically, and decided to start a business. I decided to specialize in the financial industry because it is an industry where advanced IT systems are always required, and I thought it would be possible to maintain the motivation to be involved in system development for the rest of my life as an engineer.

After the establishment of the company, the first customer was a securities company specializing in the internet, which is still one of the main business partners, and developed and delivered an internet securities trading system. Until the 1990s, most securities companies used transaction systems developed by system development companies affiliated with major securities companies, but after 2000, securities companies specializing in the Internet were established one after another along with the spread of the Internet, and the company developed customers centered around these emerging securities companies and increased its business performance.

In 2007, in order to expand the business area, it invested in Works Technology Co., Ltd., which develops FX trading systems, and made it a subsidiary (disbanded in 2016/4, and the company took over the business). Also, in order to expand into new business areas other than the financial industry, it entered the security diagnosis business in 2010. In 2021, the cloud EC platform “Emerald Blue” was developed, and in addition to being offered to the real x digital experience-based store “AZLM” *1 operated by Connected Commerce Co., Ltd., which concluded a capital and business alliance in December of the same year, they also developed and began providing Japan's first online duty-free EC service “Tax Free Online” *2 in collaboration with IENT Co., Ltd. In January 2022, a capital and business alliance was concluded with CXR Engineering Co., Ltd., which handles the development of cryptocurrency transaction systems, etc., and expanded the domain into next-generation financial solutions.

*1 “AZLM” is an experiential store that combines digital promotion using advanced technology and EC. The company provides EC platforms and OMO platforms. As of 2024/8, 3 stores such as the “AZLM TOBU Ikebukuro Store” are in operation.

*2 “Tax Free Online” is a service that targets tourists visiting Japan and makes it possible to purchase duty-free goods through the EC site at any stage of “Tabimae or Tabinaka,” and orders and payments are made through smartphone applications, and products are received at partner lodging facilities and airports. In addition to EC site development fees and maintenance service fees, the company has an agreement to receive a revenue share corresponding to the distribution value.

In addition to expanding business areas, M&A was carried out, such as successively making IT system development company Ajo based in Osaka in 2022/3 and Pegasus Systems based in Tokyo into subsidiaries in 2023/7 with the aim of strengthening development resources and accelerating expansion into new business areas. The stock listing was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (hereafter, Tokyo Stock Exchange) JASDAQ market in 2017/11, and has transitioned to the standard market due to the Tokyo Stock Exchange market restructuring in 2022/4.

Furthermore, it was announced that Saito Masakatsu (Saito Masakatsu) was appointed as president and representative director on 2024/7/1. Mr. Saito retired as Executive Vice President of Mincab the Infonoid ＜4436＞ and President and CEO of Mincab Solution Services, and is spearheading the company. Chairman Asami is responsible for managing the entire group and promoting strategies.

(Author: FISCO Visiting Analyst Joe Sato)